The Utilitarian Englishmen

Englishmen would like to convince themselves that the striving after English happiness, I mean after comfort and fashion, is, at the same time, the true path of virtue. Not one of those ponderous, conscience stricken, hurting animals who undertake to advocate the cause of egoism as conducive to the general welfare wants to have any knowledge or inkling of the facts. In these later ages, which may be proud of their humanity, there still remains so much superstition of the fear, of the cruel wild beast. That even obvious truths, as if by the agreement of centuries, have long remained unuttered, because they have the appearance of helping the finally slain wild beast back to life again.